Belfort Next In Line for Anderson Silva

The UFC recently issued a press release stating that Nathan Marquardt will replace Vitor Belfort at UFC 122. The winner of that fight would become the number one contender for the Middleweight title.

What was not mentioned was that Belfort was pulled from the fight, not due to injury, but because Belfort will get the next shot at the Spider’s title. As Chael Sonnen has been suspended for one year by the CSAC, the UFC needed a replacement to face Anderson Silva and that is Vitor Belfort. Dana White’s recent tweet explains the situation:

Vitor is not injured. He is going to fight anderson for the title and the winner of marquart and okami are next.

The Belfort vs Silva fight should happen early in 2011 perhaps as early as UFC 125. Following that fight, the Middleweight title holder will face either Okami or Marquardt.